The East African region expanded its total trade by $8.2 billion to $45.8 billion in 2011 from $37.5 billion in 2010. Imports continue to dominate the region’s trade. The growth in imports of $6.5 billion in 2011 was responsible for 79 per cent of the region’s total trade expansion and for 72 percent of total trade in 2011. By contrast, although exports increased by $1.76 billion this was just 21 per cent of the year’s trade growth and 28 per cent of the total trade in 2011, the lowest since 2005.